"Nothing was taken from the store. Right now it looks as if she may have been the target, but we don't know," said Lt. Edward Hopkins, spokesman for the Harford County Sheriff's Department. "We have no suspects at all at this point. This is a tough one -- the guy comes out of nowhere."

The shooting occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday at Grace-ton Market, 2902 Whiteford Road in Pylesville, police said. Two other employees who were in the store heard gunshots, and one employee saw a man wearing a ski mask and carrying a gun walk out of the bakery area, where Blair was working, Hopkins said.

The man left the store, and the employees found Blair lying in the bakery area with a gunshot wound, Hopkins said. The employees called 911.

The store was closed at the time, and police do not know if the gunman had hidden in the store.

"We have no apparent motive at this time," Hopkins said yesterday. "Crimes of this nature are rare up there."

A reward of up to $1,000 has been offered by Harford County Crimesolvers, which accepts anonymous tips. Anyone with information may call Crimesolvers at 888-540-TIPS, Hopkins said.